Mother's Sacrifice
by WOLF Drc
Summary: The untold story of Summer's last mission. A short piece of her thoughts, internal pain, and what she went through that day. Hear from Summer as she recounts that day, and watches over Ruby.


_Thank you for clicking on my story. I hope you enjoy this twist on the story of Summer Rose. _

Please Review :)

And feel free to DM with idea's or thoughts, etc, I love to talk to those that read my work... anyway, enjoy

* * *

**Sacrifice**

* * *

Have you ever looked out at the horizon as the sun sets? That, glistening bright emission of color. Have you ever tossed and turned at night? Lost deep in thought. Have you ever loved something so much you'd give anything for it? Have you ever hated something so much, you'd do anything to destroy it?

It's amazing y'know… what we can do when we are determined, bound by the threat of our own extinction. How we can come together when combined with a common enemy. For my family, I'll do great and terrible things… to the daughter I have at home, sleep tight through the night, fear not, little flock… I'll be home soon.

Scary… some spend their entire lives training, through cracked bones and torn muscles, hours and hours… day after day… year after year. Only to step into the fray but once, and never return. A snap of a finger, the blink of an eye; gone, just like that. Sad, it's oh so very sad how even the most affable person can be turned into a stoic, rancorous and broken soul by the horrors we've seen. Some return as they were, displaying that, no matter what they witness, no matter what they do, they're immutable. But this is a mask, inside I know they feel pain, we all do, some hide it out of fear of looking weak, some hide it because they are weak, others just don't know how to express it. And the lucky few let it out, mourn their dead… oh how blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted.

When we walk home from the fray, those smaller look up at us, blood soaked weapons, we walk tall and true. Oh how much puissance we must display. God how their hearts would shatter if they knew what despondency lay bear over our tarnished souls. The kids smile, and I smile back, I feel sickened, almost as if my looks are deceptive, a lie, there is no joy behind this fleshy mask on my face… just darkness and echoes of the fight, god I feel like such a liar when I smile.

Every time I'd get home, if my daughter was awake she'd run to the door shouting my name, hugging my leg. Such a sweet innocent girl, born in such a cruel unforgiving world. But how do you teach a child this? Teach them all is unfair, and that she has to become a wolf to survive, or let her keep coloring and playing… I'm not cut out for this, I have no answers. It keeps me up at night, shaking, sobbing, sometimes even crying. I cry so loudly that I have to bury my face in a pillow, so not wake her.

Some time will pass, as always, until the phone rings and I'll have to grab my gear, and go once again. To face the horrors in the darkness, to save and protect, at the cost of my own life, or sanity… or both.

_**3 months later...**_

Every morning I wake up early, I don't have much choice having a little daughter to take care of… she'll burst into my room, no later than 7am, jump on my bed to wake me in hopes of making her breakfast. And of course, I'll wake with a smile and cook her something, praying for the kids channel to play some cartoons to distract her so I can rest my tired body… good luck, me.

More time will pass and the nightmares fade, the sounds of fighting no longer echo, and the black of the TV screen no longer fills me with fantastic terrors. Eventually I'll stop drinking, stop being on edge, and my demons will retreat to the abyss of my consciousness and be lost in the black matter… and I will be able to live more free, if only for a short time.

It was a beautiful october afternoon, the branches dance in a passing zephyr, as I watch her run about in the crackling leaves just makes me smile and giggle, oh how innocent and pure, I wish she could stay this way forever. But, like a hot pike through my stomach, I hear the phone ring… she stops prancing and looks at me, and I to her… I look down and stand up from my chair and walk back inside the house, I can hear her tiny footsteps running down the hall to catch up with me.

I pick up the phone, and just like that, once again, I'm needed to serve. I hang-up the phone and turn to see her, looking up at me, a quiver in her lip, and a tear in her eye. I go to speak but she blocks me and exclaims, "mommy don't go!" I inhale softly and kneel in front of her, and try my damndest to explain, "Ruby… I have to go, people need me." I stand and go to amble out of the room to pack my gear, from behind a short brusque burst upstarts, "but I need you! What if you don't come back?"

I freeze… my heart sinks, blinking twice, utter disbelief; I cannot believe my ears, and how the hell am I supposed to respond to that? I turn over my shoulder to respond but, can't, it's like my throats tighter than a snake around pray, I turn away and close my eyes, and walk to my room.

I can hear her running behind me, a pause and she runs the other way. I go to my room and begin to pack, some time passes and I step out of my room into the hallway, only to see the most heartbreaking thing i've ever seen. Ruby was piling pillows and toys in front of our door, trying to block it. Taiyang's leaning against the wall in the hallway and gazes over to me, im once again caught without words. He opens his mouth and jokes, "I tried to stop her, but she has your will."

In a small step or two I find myself by his side, I look over at him, only saying, "take care of her… I'll be home soon."

I walk to the door, tripping and stumbling over toys and pillows, Ruby grabs my thigh and exclaims, "Mommy no please don't go!" Her attempts to cajole me fail, I open the door, another tug at my shirt before a quick snap, I turn and kneel, both hands on her fragile shoulders as I shout, "enough! Ruby, please enough… this is not up for debate, and I won't sit here and engage in some debate with my own daughter." Her expression froze a saddening terror… a pause breaks the echo of my voice before I start again, "you aren't the only one that needs me… I love you so very much, and I'll come home, I promise."

Ruby wipes her eyes, Taiyang stands silent… I give her a kiss, and stand… and walk away, down the driveway.

_**1 Day Later...**_

My back slouched over as I stare at the floor, the distant crackle of gunfire invokes feelings of dread, I stand and prepare to drop, one again into the fray, to defend, as a huntress should.

The doors fling open, and into the cold mountain air I leap. The long drop ending with the slam of my feet against the deep snow. Raising my weapon, seeing those evil creatures, and dead huntsman. And there, I spotted her, dark dress, pale face… those eyes. In a simple lazy snap of a finger I'm swarmed by creatures of malice; then, darkness.

I awake, alone… frozen to the bone. I lay tattered and torn upon fresh snow; echoes of the fight seep from the black matter of my brain. I cannot feel my legs, are they gone? I can't feel them… pain… did I win?

The bitterness of iron molests my tongue. My eyes feel like weights, but I'm too afraid to close them. Exciting, how horrifying; my breath burning in my torn lung.

In a flash, I ponder how unstrung my friends will be. From the start of the battle, until the weeds reclaim my corpse, and the reaper claims my soul for the damned… I lay here. Seemingly unable to die, call it failure to accept my situation, or daft, blind determination to survive, lost in imagination, trapped in my mind's isolation, drifting away moment by moment like a patient under sedation.

The muscles in my neck cramp as I force myself to look to the side, my arm coincides with my neck so that I may gaze at my left arm. I can feel my forearm, my hand… but there is nothing there. A sharp pike-like piece of bone, glossy red, chunks of muscle and tendons hang from it, the surrounding skin peeled down like a banana peel.

My typical equanimity gone, same with my sensitivity. I can't necessarily... feel anything, or atleast, not pain. I feel sad… and high, lightheaded, oddly like I'm drowning. At least the snow is emollient, while I rest, covet for death.

As is typical, warrior's code, I responded. Pushed forth into the fray, wailing proudly, chin high; hoping by the end of the day, honor would find its way back to me. But here I lay, no thought of rescue, no thought of honor, no thought of glory. Merely thoughts of melancholy, as somberly, I recount my life. Those I've loved, lost, those of convivial nature whom I wish I could've spent more time with.

I'm afraid… frightened, scared, whatever fits most. When my eyes shut for the final time, is there anything there? What's in the dark abyss, waiting for me. God, I'm shaking violently, in the cold, but I'm uncharacteristically warm all things considered.

I've heard that death is peaceful, but my only thoughts are those of maudlin. My tears tickle away at my cheeks as I painfully roll from my back to my side, curling up like a puppy.

Now curled, gazing down at my gut, a large sword-slit leaving a gaping slice across my belly. Steam accends into the wind and dissipates, warmth from none other than the blood escaping my wounds. And the guts laying atop the blanket of snow. Are they mine? I cannot feel them, only see them… is this a dream?

It must be, how could I be alive? Arm ripped in half and disemboweled? Impossible. Like a riptide a sudden burst of fear washes over me, kicking my legs I quickly scoot myself against a nearby tree, leaning against it. My breath fast as a jack rabbit. I hear the chilling crunch of broken ribs as my lungs expand; gazing down at my intestines with a hyper focused stare, before screaming out in panic and shock.

My cries echo throughout the now calm and quiet fray, littered with bodies and painted with blood of huntsman's and those evil creatures.. My voice, suppressed by the intense and aggressive spatter of blood from my mouth, and the gurgling in my throat. It dawns on me... I'm not crazy, the drowning sensation was real… and it was blood.

Fuck, oh lord this cannot be real. What type of nightmare is this! Let it be over, let it be over. I don't know if there is an afterlife! Nor do I care, black nothingness cannot be worse than the fear in my heart and the terror in my soul.

I can feel a growing pain, pain in my stomach, my arm, chest, legs… it's coming back, dear god I can feel it! Holy hell how excruciating, how terrifying, let it stop! Feeling the pain in my leg, I lift my right thigh only to see teeth marks torn through my clothing. Soaked, dark red cloth ending at my knee-joint; beyond that nothing. The terror forcing me to scream in shock and fear, louder than before.

In that moment, as I cry and choke on my own pumping blood; I hear footsteps approaching. Forcing my vision and head to face the source, I beg without even knowing who or what was there. To my shock, a friend… a teacher… my warrior mentor, Ozpin

Wide-eyed, and jaw dropped… he drops his weapon with a padded 'thud' in the snow. He slowly approaches me, a somber look on his face. He drops beside me, staring into my eyes, I cough and gasp abruptly, Ozpin flinches; droplets spatter on his face and trickle slightly. "Summer" He asks me in a heartfelt, calm voice.

"Ozpin… Kill me, please" I beg, my cut-n-cracked lips bleeding, my voice almost inaudible from the gurgling and gasping from the blood filling my lungs. Without a spoken word, he wobbles to his feet, scanning the ground and picking up another fallen huntsman weapon… his cold eyes gaze to mine as he loads the fallen warriors rifle, and points the muzzle at my head.

"I'm so sorry." Are the last words I'll ever hear. Coming from the disheartening sound of a broken leader, and the man who sent me here. I could tell he blamed himself, but I had not the strength, nor ability, to convince him otherwise. I close my eyes in acceptance, but also thankfulness, it can all be over.

The momentary thunderous cacophonous bang of gunpowder cut short, nothing… darkness here, and nothing more. Is this the end? Where am I… suddenly, light begins to shine… I'm floating, beside him. He is on his knees, staring at my corpse. The large caliber round tore and decimated through my frontal bone and out my parietal bone… exposing my brain, pink bits and skull-fragments coat the bark of the tree behind me.

Even at the sight of my torn corpse… I feel peaceful… no pain, no sorrow… just, peace. For the first time in a long time… peace. Gone, in a snap, free me from my pain, from this trap; and let my soul unwrap from the bondage of my duties, the flesh on my bones, and the deeds strapped heavily to my back.

Looking not into his cold eyes, with wings I soar, looking no more. And back, not for a moment, never looking… I continue touring, souring, across the oceans, the tundras, the swamps, the forests and the cities. In a brisk, whirlwind I ventured this planet. Finding rest only at the doorstep of my domicile. Waiting is easy when you're but a heavenly body; almost like I have the transposable power to change seasons.

Here I wait, moonlight creates a barrier around the house's lights like an aura, a beacon, safety and warmth from the otherwise, now winter, snow covered ground.

Time is not something I find my mind pondering over. I wonder when the news will be broken, silence lifted by the sound of brogan's marching to the door, and presenting heavy words to my family, father of my child, and to her. Oh the pain it will cause, the questions it will create. Nobody knew of this mission's objective; not even Taiyang, only Ozpin, and now I question his integrity to tell the honest truth.

_**Two weeks later….**_

She has begun to worry, she has stopped coloring… stopped playing with her toys. Poor child, sitting quietly on our porch, dressed in the thickest clothing she has. Staring down our driveway, waiting for me to come walking up to her. Poor child, go inside, let not my departure divide your heart in two. I wish I could hug you, snuggle you, and explain to you the danger of my duties.

In lieu of your love, pain… not understanding I had to go, had to fight. I hate this, in restraint of my better judgement, I chose to have you, I didn't object, and I didn't impose. How could I be so stupid, bringing a child into such a harsh world, especially when her mother and father, were part of those that fight against evil.

Death is a strong possibility in this profession, selfishly I failed to understand that if one, or more, of us were to die, she would lose a piece of her. My stupid obsession with a family life destroyed my judgement. And now, my worst fear is realized, you're without a mother.

As predicted, weeks later, boots crushing snow as Ozpin walks up our drive. With him he carries only my hood, Ruby rushes outside, her joyful smiles turns to a blank expression. Taiyang follows, dropping to his knees, no tears in his eyes. Silence from Ozpin, as he looks to the face of my lover, and then to the eyes of my daughter; shaking his head.

Down Taiyang looks, apathetically looking at the white, diamond glisen of snowflakes conjoined to a blanket atop the ground. Sparkles glistening from the sun's golden sunrise rays. Pausing to look to Ozpin, to whom only nods, filling Tai' with approbation of the situation.

Ruby starts to tear up, freezing droplets drip from her eyes to her jaw, freezing as the flea to the ground. Her inhales deep, exhales highlighted by a thick fog-like steam from the warmth of her adolescent lungs. She bolts, running like a mouse from a cat, sprinting inside and slamming the door as hard as she could, balling.

Taiyang finds his feet, now standing, he walks to Ozpin, as I float beside them. Ozpin hands Tai' my tattered and stained cape, to which Tai questions, "how… how did this happen, what was the mission?" Ozpin, without a twitch in his eye, nor quiver to his lip… lied, "I don't know… I'm so sorry."

Taiyang, gripping my cape tightly, walks adverse to Ozpin, back up the steps. Turning only partially, before returning focus to the door, opening it, and walking inside.

My eyes lock to Ozpin, as he turns and shuffles down our driveway. With haste, my ghost moving inside the house, hearing my poor daughter crying. Oh how the wail of her sorrow deafening, painful. I find myself standing in her room, looking down at the pour soul as she grips tightly her pillow. Taiyang sits to her side, hand on her back… and explains simply, that I am gone. No attempt to palliate the news, bluntly he explained, and bluntly his apology is spoken.

With a sigh, he leaves the room; allowing Ruby to process the information, alone. Once her door is closed, she slowly, weakly and shakily shuffles to her feet; resembling that of a gut-punched brawler, she waddles to her nightstand. I place my hands on her shoulder, witnessing goosebumps rise on her neck from a cold touch. She grips a photo of me, looking at it with pensive sadness, heart-wreck and grief. Crying, now softly to herself, pause broken by her aggressively slamming the photo back onto its shelf.

"Why mommy." Escapes quietly from the gaps between her teeth, filled with grief, sad and broken, disbelief creeps its way into her head. Broken only by the realization of information, no explanation of the unfortunate situation resulting in this, the nadir of her life.

_**One Week Later.**_

The funeral was quite, closed casket, I watched as my body was burned, turned to ashes, and thrown to the wind. Thrown off the edge aside that damn cliff in which, my remembrance-stone now sits to gain moss. Thus kindly I scatter; becoming one with the wind, and the salty sea-air. Becoming one with the water as it beats the surf. But my soul remains, from the afterlife I may watch her.

The events of that day changed her, yet… perhaps, they only motivated her. Seeking to become what her mother and father were, warriors, not disrupted by all the tombstones and memorials of those fallen. Perhaps motivated not by the mutilated corpse of her mother, not hazed by the inevitable fate that awaited those who plunged head-strong into danger, but from the good we did.

From that day forward she was dedicated, like a switch was activated, she would become a huntress, or meet the same grueling fate.

_**10 years later**_

Today, my daughter earned her graduation. Through not, the throwing of a cap on that, the end of academy. No, but through service in the face of adversity, thrown not to the side by diversity or what pain she had to endure. What a journey it has been… I've stood in silence and watched, as my little girl became a woman, a warrior.

To the thanks of her compassion and iron will, she didn't lose herself along the way… as I had and while her squad mates were sanguine in obtaining their licenses to kill. She watched over them, questioning her veracity. Her uncle helped those questions be concluded, knowing that she is not like Ozpin.

Her virtuoso performance earned her this title, and she should be proud… as I am. Be afraid not, little flock, for the eyes of your mother watch down upon you. So long as you follow your heart, you'll never be wrong. One day, the truth will be exposed; and when it is… you'll know what's right… so, thus kindly I scatter.

* * *

**Author Notes**.

Update Dec 29th 2019

Hello everyone, DRC here… it's been since, what, 2016 since I wrote anything. A lot has happened in my life, and in RWBY… while I cannot guarantee I will return to writing, and I'm Very rusty at writing.

I hope you enjoyed this piece. Originally it was 2 separate pieces I wrote together, and wanted to include some basic writing, leading up to the current episode of RWBY.

In this piece, while I understand Qrow implied Ozpin was, "in the dark" as the rest of them, I wrote that he did know for story sake in this fiction.

It is possible to add different time pieces to this one-shot, while I didn't plan too.

Those that have read my past work know that typically I write 1 shot's.

* * *

**IMPORTANT INFO**

Want me to write something? Message me your ideas and I can discuss them

Please take some time to write a review!

Your reviews are how I improve, and know if my writing is done well!

If you liked this story,

Please Review!

Feel free to DM to discuss the story!


End file.
